365 Days — 2007 - Breakfast in America

My first complete 365 Days project. An endeavor to take a self-portrait every day for a year. The rules are simple. I must be visible in the picture, and I must take the picture. All I had to help me get into the photos was a 10-second timer. It’s surprising how fast you can get at moving into position!

January 7, 2007

Quick Pic (365: 1)

Quick Pic (365: 1). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

A quick picture for the first day. I just love the light in the bathroom, and the mirror comes in very handy for seeing the picture on the camera’s display.

The first day — referring to the first day of my 365 Days project, a project to take and publish a self-portrait photograph every day for a year. A project which ended up as the catalyst for major changes in my life.

Not looking very happy, am I?
January 9, 2007

Morning Shower (365: 3)

Morning Shower (365: 3) Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

The camera only has a 10-second self-timer, so I had to take a load of test shots the day before so that I could get the shot right on the day. I have to get to work, so time is tight.

This shot took lots of tries. The floor was a bit damp by the time I had finished; this picture is the best of the bunch. Posing was difficult. I was relying on water and condensation to obscure parts of the image 🙂 It didn’t work in all the shots, which was another reason why I had to take so many.
January 10, 2007

You Hoo! (365: 4)

You Hoo! (365: 4) Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Something nice and simple. (re-edit). Future Gary says: A truly awful picture that might have been improved by clean glasses and more depth of field.
January 11, 2007

Breakfast (365: 5)

06:30, and breakfast – It took me two days to get this one, and I think it could be improved by zooming in a bit. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

It took me two days to get this one, and I think it could be improved by zooming in a bit.

Future Gary granted past Gary his wish and zoomed it in a bit.
January 12, 2007

Doubly Glazed (365: 6)

Doubly Glazed (365: 6) Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Desperate shot this one. I was waiting for my lift to work and saw my distorted reflection.

Future Gary says: Not only desperate, but unfortunately the only picture I took that day.
January 13, 2007

Late Night Movie (365: 7)

Late Night Movie (365:7) – It was actually three movies, one bottle of wine and the end of the whiskey. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

And the reality was…

Late Night Movie – It was actually three movies, one bottle of wine and the end of the whiskey. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
January 14, 2007

January In The Garden (365: 8)

January In The Garden (365: 8). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

14 January and warm enough to sit in the garden

– this has to be recorded
January 18, 2007

Waiting (365:12)

Waiting (365:12) – While waiting for my friends to arrive for our monthly curry evening, I fit in a quick drink and a 365 Days picture. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
January 19, 2007

Double trouble (365: 13)

Double trouble (365: 13) – 1/19/2007. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

My less serious alter ego strikes a blow for more fun in my pictures. I’ve been looking forward to trying out a clone shot ever since I first saw them on Flickr.
January 20, 2007

Running Repairs (365:14)

Running Repairs (365:14). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

This is what happens when you leave the kids in charge of the house while you go away for New Year. I’ve made them suffer long enough it was time to replace the broken toilet seat.

Running Repairs II Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Running Repairs III Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
January 21, 2007

A walk on the Sea Front (365: 15)

A walk on the Sea Front (365: 15). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I thought it would make a change to take a photograph outside. I’m still too self-conscious to be bold and obvious when doing self-portraits, which is one excuse for the up the nose angle. I really wanted to take a picture in Lou-Lou’s or Waitrose, but both were packed to gunwales.

Self Conscious. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Taking a rest on the Seafront after walking to Waitrose and back. The PM (photo shy) was sitting next to me – honest.
January 22, 2007

Me And My Friend (365: 16)

Me And My Friend (365: 16). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I had a disastrous evening, not much time and neither of my pre-planned 365 days photographs had worked. In fact, I was feeling quite depressed, and time was running on, when the idea for this shot came to me.

I forgot to white balance the camera and to compensate for the light background in my haste to grab the picture, so a little bit of correction was called for.

I guess I ought to have titled this ‘Myself and My Friend’, or ‘My friend and I’ but the title I used sounded more childlike.
January 23, 2007

6AM and only just awake (365: 17)

6AM and only just awake (365: 17) Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Taken as part of a ‘365 days of me’ mini challenge to take a picture of yourself straight after waking up.

This picture was taken as part of a 365 days of me mini challenge to take a picture of yourself straight after waking up. Frightening isn’t it?!
January 24, 2007

Too Much (365: 18)

Too Much (365: 18) Re-edit. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Too Much (Original). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

It’s around ten PM and I’ve been working on and off since seven thirty AM.

I took this shot at my desk at home.
January 27, 2007

This is me — like it or not (365: 21)
This is me – like it or not (365: 21). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I’m fairly comfortable with my body, and I’m trying to learn to accept the changes that come with age, but there are always things one would like to change. I must admit to feeling quite anxious about posting this. I learned a lot and very much enjoyed the process of making this picture, but I’m not so sure about sharing the result.

So here I am. I’ve never seen myself as sexless before, but to save frightening people, I am now devoid of genitalia like a male doll.

What I hate about my body:
1. Ear hairs. What are they for? All I know is the older I get, the thicker they are, and the harder it is to get rid of them. It’s almost impossible to remove them single-handed.
2. Man boobs.
3. Body hair even more so where it has gone grey. I’d remove it all if it was practical. I shave, I trim, my vanity knows no bounds.
4. My weight. I lost 28lbs (12.6kg) last year and want to lose a further 10lbs (4.5kg) this year to hit my ideal weight.
January 29, 2007

Eyes (365: 23)

Eyes (365: 23) — None of the pictures I took today really worked. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

None of the pictures I took today really worked, in fact they were all so poor that in an act of petulance I deleted them and emptied the recycle bin just to make sure.

There was the: driving to work shot, fridge shot, dishwasher shot and various standing about doing nowt shots.

So, this is the result of an act of desperation. If my photography wasn’t working, could I make something out of one of my pictures in Photoshop? Compared to the source shot this is positively flattering.

I’ve admired similar images; however, I suspect the models used were better.

I can’t wait for some better weather and some light in the evening, so I’m not stuck in the house all the time.